Always You
by Bella.Diggory
Summary: On Bella's 18th birthday everything went wrong. She spots Edward and Rosalie together but doesn't care as much as she thought she would. And she finds that her and Emmett had something that she never felt before... BSxEmC, EdCxRH - NOW ON GOING!
1. Bella

**Always You**

**Bella**

My arm is covered in glass and blood as I look up at the scene in front of me: Carlisle and Emmett are holding Jasper back as the monster within him fought with all his strength to get to me, to drink my blood until my last breath escaped my body. But I am not scared, I trust Emmett and Carlisle to protect me, and Edward.

Alice is talking to Jasper, trying to talk him down and tell him that there isn't much blood. But as she speaks these words her eyes to turned Black and I felt my heart stop, it was like my best friend had betrayed me... it was hard to remember what she really is sometimes. She is always so happy and cheerful around me, she is _human _around me.

But not now.

I let out a shallow breath as I watched Jasper and Alice flee together, followed closely by Esme: I guess it was too much for her as well.

Rosalie is standing at the base of the stairs, staring at me with pure black eyes and clenched fists at her sides. The only two who seem unaffected by my smell is Carlisle and Emmett, Edward was not as strong as I had made him out to be. He looks just as tense as Rosalie, if not tenser. And so he leaves, followed all but too closely by Rosalie.

Carlisle walks over to me and looks down at me, a look of undying sympathy in his eyes. "Let me look at your arm." He says as he holds his hands out to me.

I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from crying as I reach out and take his hands and pull myself up. "I'm so sorry Carlisle." I tell him softly as he leads me into the kitchen; I feel Emmett's eyes on us as he stands with the couch to his back and his arms folded casually across his chest.

"You didn't do anything wrong Bella, accidents happen." Carlisle tells me as he grabs onto my hips and lifts me up onto the counter top. "We should just be thankful things turned out how they did, it could have been much worse." He says with a sigh as he begins cleaning off my wounded arm.

"Yeah," I whisper. "I guess." I pause and he begins pulling glass shards from my arm. "Will Jasper be alright?"

"Yes. He just needs to get some air and clear his mind. This is a new life style for him so it is still hard for him at times." He pauses and looks at me and gives me a small smile. "You have nothing to worry about Bella."

I look up into his eyes and see that he is not lying, but feel nothing but the need to worry and believe something is terribly, terribly wrong. "You're right." I lie as I turn my head down and look into my small lap. "So... Why wasn't Emmett effected by my blood?" I ask him as I look up at him with my eyebrows knitted together.

"Emmett is very strong Bella, he is the only one who has never had trouble around humans." He pauses as he begins stitching my cut. "He would never harm you Bella." I look over at the closed door and imagine what Emmett is doing right now, and wonder how he is the way he is; how he is able to resist the smell of my blood.

* * *

As I walk onto the balcony my hair is blown in every direction; whipping and feathering out against my eyes and cheeks.

I hug my arms against my chest as another gust dances its way to me.

It is cold and I begin to shiver, but I won't go inside. I need to try and see Jasper and Alice to see if they are doing alright. They are my friends and I owe it to them to check on them, it is after all my fault for what happened here tonight.

As I begin to think they are too far away to see them, I hear kissing and smile: _they are alright_. I think as I begin to walk back towards the house. But then, then I hear a name spoken as a lover would say by neither Jasper or Alice. "I love you." The voice says softly and tenderly as the soft pecks of kissing sounds begins once more.

I look through the thick over grown trees and see the one thing I had never thought possible. The one thing I never feared, the one thing I never had reason to fear. But it must be my imagination, my worry... because that can not be Rosalie kissing Edward. And that can't be Edward with his arms wrapped gingerly around her small figure. That wasn't her gentle yet intimidating voice saying: I love you, you're who I have always wanted.

But as I turn towards the house, pleading in my mind it was my imagination, I see Emmett. He is standing with wide eyes, looking at what I prayed was my imagination. "Happy birthday Bella." He says with hurt in his voice as a tear falls from my eye to the stone ground beneath me.

I look at him and our eyes meet for a moment and I feel an urge to go to him and wrap my arms around him, but I don't. Instead I walk back into the house and drop to my knees. I don't cry or weep, I just sit there with my eyes held wide.

"Let me take you home Bella." Emmett says softly as he holds his hand out to me.

"Okay." I say emptily as I place my hand in his and effortlessly stand as he pulls me up. We look into each other's eyes for a few seconds before our hands separate.

* * *

"I have known for a while." Emmett tells me as we drive down the dark road towards my house.

"What?" I ask him as I pull my attention away from my lap.

"Rosalie," He says slowly. "And Edward." He lets out a stiffened breath as he makes a left hand turn. "I came home one night and saw them together, but I did what you did. I thought it was imagination so I turned around and left before they could see me... but then it happened again, and again, and again. And now that you have seen it, I know I can't be imagining things."

"Why didn't." I began softly. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask as I look up at him with wet eyes; hurt eyes.

He laughs softly. "Would you have believed me?" He asks as we pull into my driveway.

I think for a moment and decide no, I wouldn't have. Edward would never do that to me; Rosalie would never do that to Emmett. Rosalie and Edward hate each other, they can't stand each other. This doesn't make any sense. Maybe all of that hate was really pent up _feelings _for each other...

"No." I tell him honestly. "I wouldn't have."

* * *

As I walk slowly up the stairs I wonder curiously to myself why I am not more hurt than I thought I would be. Edward was my first love, and I thought it would last forever. But now I wonder if any of it was even real.

My bed is soft and warm as I lean my back against it and breath deeply. I close my eyes and begin the see Edward's face, hear his voice and feel his skin. But as I lean into kiss him his features change from his familiar ones to ones that I don't recognize at first. They are smoother yet more masculine, and somehow paler. His dusty brown hair looses its length and darkens to nearly the same shade as my own.

It is Emmett I am seeing now. It is his chest pressed up against mine, and it is his arms wrapped around me. Not Edwards. He feels more loving and tender, he does not feel stiff or proper. He is relaxed and comfortable around me. His hands rub my back and his lips caress my neck without second thought or caution: he has complete trust in himself.

I open my eyes and smile as I look up and see Emmett sitting on the end of my bed watching me. His body is relaxed with his arms folded across his chest and a smile that matches mine is delicately painted on his lips.

I pull myself up and look into his eyes. "You came back." I whisper as I hug my knees against my chest.

"I came back." He whispers back as the smile on his face widens.

And now I know why Edward leaving me didn't hurt so much, and why Emmett was able to be around me so comfortably. _I love you, you're who I've always wanted. _That is what Rosalie said to Edward, and as I think about those words and look into Emmett's eyes, I see that is what he is telling me. And I know he hears the same thing as I look into his eyes.

As his lips touch mine I feel what I have longed for my whole life.

_Love._


	2. Emmett

**Always You**_  
continued…_

**Emmett**

The sun is beginning to rise and I force myself to leave Bella's sleeping form – warm and content beneath her covers with a small smile graced across her lips. I pull myself back and crouch away backwards from her, my eyes being unable to look at or see anything but her. I ball my fists firmly as I take a step away from her, and another, but as I ready myself to gently pull open her window to leave I let out a soundless breath and allow myself to be drawn quickly back to her. My hands relax as I drop to my knees beside her bed and lean my face into hers, holding myself back just enough to not disturb her slumber. Running my hand ever so lightly along the contours of her thigh, hip and waist I bring my other one up and run it just as lightly over her head – feeling her smooth, warm hair beneath my fingers forces an uncontrollable feeling and shiver of happiness down my spine – I am unable to stop myself from running my nose across hers. It travels across her forehead, cheeks and chin, and finally her lips. I open my mouth and let out an involuntary breath and she shivers in her sleep, but does not shy away. I smile before leaning in closer towards her and running my lips over hers – feelings them with mine as my fingers would – and before I am able to stop myself my lips plant themselves lightly over hers. I hold our kiss for another few seconds and whisper, "I love you, Bella, I always have, and I always will."

Knowing if I do not leave now I never will, and so force myself away from her and flip open her window with noiselessness perfection and pull it back shut before landing on the grass below her window.

I close my eyes and remember the feeling of her in my arms as we laid together in the dark, looking deeply into each others eyes and breaking that lock only to bring our lips together. I remember running my hands slowly over her back as I brushed my nose and lips along the crook of her neck and base of her ear, and the sound of her heart beating contentedly with her breathing as I whispered to her words of affection and promises. The feeling of her legs winding tighter and tighter within mine, and her hands holding tightly onto my chest and hip lingers with me as I open my eyes and chance one last glance towards her window.

Pulling my eyes away from her bedroom I force myself to leave knowing that if I look even a moment longer I will be back by her side, unable to force myself away a second time.

I slow my pace to a sluggish human speed and walk the rest of the way home as I reach the end of our gravel drive. Focusing my ears on the interior of the house I hear the girls – Esme, Alice and Rosalie – laughing and talking about nothing of consequence as the sound of Jasper's 360 plays from the upstairs. The sound of a book having a page turned comes next, and I know it is Carlisle in his study. A piano key is tapped, followed by another, and then another, and the notes soon come together to form the rhythmic, soothing hymn we have all come to know so well – _Bella's Lullaby_.

I shake my head and wonder to myself if he ever really did care about her? Knowing I am close enough now for my private thoughts to be invaded, I don't care. The feeling of her in my arms is strong in my minds memory, and I know he is seeing what I am seeing. Yet as I purposefully think of all of the soft, tender, loving moments we shared together so recently I have no intention to stop. Why should he be able to freely think of what he wants, and who he wants, not having to worry about other people butting into his privacy while the rest of us never know when we are, or aren't, being spied on? Never knowing when it is okay to think about this, or not think about that.

The gravel beneath me crunches as I draw closer to the house, and I think to myself: could I stop thinking about her, even if I wanted to? No, I decide. And even if so, would I ever want to not think of her? Her eyes, her hands and smooth, warm, delicate skin and sound of her heart beating steadily as I hold her close to me - feeling her wonderful lips against mine as I draw myself into her and close the thin distance that separates us. How she sucks in a small, slow breath of air as I massage my lips tenderly against her neck and jaw line, whispering between kisses of how beautiful and wonderful she is. Feathering my fingers threw her hair as her eyelids slowly become heavier and heavier, until at last they fall shut and I lean forward to kiss her forehead softly as her last futile attempts to move her body brings her closer to me. I smile and wrap my arm tighter around her back to draw her closer until there is nothing between us but clothes, and she relaxes more still against me and I lean my forehead down to hers and close my eyes, acting as if I, too were sleeping in her arms. Hours pass as I slowly pull my head from hers to watch her sleep – so beautiful, so perfect – I love her so…

I force myself to leave the living memory as I bound slowly up the front steps and pull open the glass door. "I was starting to wonder if you'd come back." Comes Jasper's voice as the door clicks closed behind me, and I shake my head and laugh lightly in response. "Now that you _are_ back," He adds as I make my way into the front room and see Edward sitting quietly playing the piano, "Get your ass up here and help me kill some aliens."

"Later," I tell him shortly as I walk around the piano to face Edward with my hands half buried in my front pant pockets. His head is bowed slightly to look upon the keys he is playing. "I've got some things to take care of first." I add as his shoulders remain still and proper as his hands glide effortlessly across the keys.

"Suit yourself," Jasper sighs, "I'm easy."

I wait patiently as Edward's music continues, and after what seems like an endless silence, mute of voices, he smiles softly and says, "That was beautiful." His hands are still gliding across the keys as he makes a graceful transition form _Bella's Lullaby _to _Clair de Lune_ while lifting his eyes up to meet mine. "What you were thinking about, it was beautiful, I'd even say poetic."

I pull my hands out from my pockets, "That's a hell of a better response than the one I was expecting to get." I don't talk out loud, he hears me clearly all the same.

"It wouldn't be reasonable for me to say anything to the contrary," He says as he drops his eyes back to the piano keys and does another transition to a song I don't recognize. "Besides," He adds as he looks up at me for a moment and then back down to his fingers. "I can't say I didn't see it coming, considering the fact that I've known you've known for a while. Except instead of pretending things were the same as I have done; pretending nothing was happening, nothing had changed, and you come fearlessly to me the moment something happens with you; with Bella."

"I'm not going to hold any grudges, neither of you are even worth it… but if you knew that I knew why didn't you just tell me? Why didn't you, or Rosalie, have the respect to just come to me and Bella and tell us instead of making us both have to find out the hard way?"

"Like I said, you came fearlessly to me - I don't have that kind of self control, I was scared. I didn't know how to bring it up, and I didn't want to hurt Bella. I guess I was always hoping that you'd be the one to tell her." He says honestly as he transitions back to _Bella's Lullaby_.

"Well I guess I'm lucky on that part then, because I didn't have to say anything – she walked on the balcony and saw you two." I tell him bluntly. "'Happy Birthday Bella' was all I said, and all she did was shed one tear. So being worried about hurting her, don't worry, you didn't. And though I'm not really concerned about her, tell Rosalie she didn't hurt me either. The only emotions I really ever felt were shock, anger – for not telling me – and acceptance. I nev-"

"She never worried about you're feelings, Emmett." He cuts me off. "And honestly, I wasn't ever truly worried about Bella's – I saw the way she looked at you, even if she didn't realize it. She looked at you in a way she never looked at me, and as I saw that I thought about it and realized I never really looked at her the way she looked at you either, or the way you looked at her. You two have had feelings for each other long before either of you realized it, even though everybody else did. We're not blind, but as the saying goes…"

"I knew." I say before I can stop myself, and he looks up at me curiously. "I knew the first time I ever laid my eyes on her. Then the two of you became an item, I figured I was just being stupid, but the harder I tried to force myself to try and stay devoted to Rosalie, the harder it got to stop thinking of Bella is ways I should have been thinking of Rosalie.

"It wasn't until last night, after that whole… catastrophe with the glass, that I realized she wanted to be with me as much as I wanted her. And as soon as I was alone with her, taking her home, it was like… like I couldn't breath, like the space between us was a vacuum, and as soon as that space was gone and I was holding her in my arms, she was my air. Being with her, it makes me feel… human. It makes me feel alive again, and I'm not going to give up that feeling for anything."

"So don't." He says simply as he shrugs his shoulders and pulls his hands away from the piano keys.

I smile and pull myself away from his piano, and before I turn to run back to Bella I add, "Thanks for not being a douche."

He smiles and chuckles. "And thank you for loving her the way I was never able to."

"I guess that's what Rosalie is for," I tell him as I back towards the front hall. "Besides, you're the reason Carlisle changed her in the first place."

His smile is the last thing I see as I push open the front door and run.

* * *

**A N: **I know it has taken me two years to finally decide and follow through to turn this from a one-shot to a multiple-chapter story, and for that, I apologize. But lately this story has just been weighing down on my subconscious, begging me to give it life again, and so begs the question to you all: would you like to see this story go on?


	3. Edward

**Always You**_  
continued…_

**Bella**

I open my eyes and smile to the sweet, rare, wonderful sounds of songbirds chirping cheerfully in the early dawn of a milky blue, yellow and white sky of a seemingly cloudless new day. As I turn myself from my side to my back I keep my eyes centered on my window and run my fingertips gingerly across my lips and think back to the perfectly wonder dream I had awoken from, and my smile fades just as quickly as it had come. I had dreamt Emmett had driven me home after the both of us witnessed Edward and Rosalie's affair. But instead of leaving me when we arrived, he had come noiselessly into my room – we spent the night together until at last my drowsiness had won over and I fell asleep in his arms. I shiver and pull my eyes away from the morning, now seeming to be too bright – too cheerful and full of hope – I wrap my arms around myself and pull the covers up to my chin while closing my eyes. The sounds of the birds are loud and endless and I knit my eyebrows together and will myself to fall back into the blissful dream of comfort and love, of promises and tenderness.

My tense body relaxes as the bed beside me sinks slightly, and I smile knowing I have succeeded in falling back asleep. But more so, in falling back into the same dream – it happens so rarely – it is a miracle it happens now. His arm wraps around my waist and my smile spreads with the feeling of him beside me, holding me, once more. His lips touch my cheek softly as he kisses me, and kisses me, and kisses me. Long, tender, loving kisses as I turn my body to face his and pull down my covers to snake my arm around his torso. I reach up my opposite hand and lace my fingers through his hair and pull his lips into mine. Full, soft, tender lips massage wonderfully against mine. I smile again as his lips part from mine and his hand reaches up and cups around mine, pulling it to his chest where he then brings it to his lips and kisses it a dozen times over, drinking in and savoring ever kiss, I dare not open my eyes to ruin this perfect moment – this perfect dream.

He slowly pulls his lips from my hand and brings it up, opens it and rests it softly against his cheek, leaning into it and holding me tighter. "Bella," His voice sings softly, almost mutely, "I have loved you for so long, I have wanted this since the moment I first saw you." He tells me, and I let out a small breath but dare not speak. I will be awoken by the volume and harshness of my own voice sounding in my sleeping ears. "Bella," He breathes as he turns his face beneath my hand and kisses my palm firmly, tenderly, twice, "Bella – I love you so much, oh, God, how much I love you." He tells me as he pulls me closer still and lands his lips lovingly against my forehead before leaning his own against it.

I tilt my lips foreword and meet with his halfway. "Bella," He asks softly with a light chuckle as his fingers brush away loose strands of hair that have fallen over my eyes. "Why won't you say anything?" He asks. "Why won't you open your eyes?"

"I can't," I chance whispering, my eyes still glued shut.

"Why?" He wonders before his lips touch down to my forehead, and his nose plays Eskimo with mine.

"If I open my eyes," I softly breathe, "Then I'll wake up, and you'll be gone." I tell him as our noses continue kissing lovingly.

"I love your eyes, they're so beautiful. Please let me see them Bella, please let me look into them," He asks as our foreheads now touch along with our noses. "Please." He begs softly, gently. His thumb rubs the back of my hand as our fingers become intertwined and I suck in my lips and bite down on the inner side of them softly. "Please," Comes his voice again, softer and more full of longing as his lips brush against mine, nudging at them softly.

I riskily give in, willing my subconscious mind to have mercy and allow - if only just this once – me to open my eyes and remain asleep.

I open my eyes and his face does not fade away. "It wasn't a dream," I breathe and turn away from him to look out the window, now holding a brighter and happier sky than I had condemned it to be. The sounds of the songbirds never left, I think while turning back around to face him once more. I pull my hand away from his torso and run it up the side of his neck and jaw line, and slowly caress his cheek and graze my fingertips along his barley-parted lips. I feel him watching me as my eyes scan over and drink in every inch of his wonderful face, until at last my eyes meet with his and we lay contentedly looking into each other. I slide my hand slowly away from his cheek and run it to the back of his neck, where I pull myself slowly into him and kiss him gingerly, savoring ever moment our lips meet.

The sound of our lips slowly meeting and parting, parting and meeting, fills my ears and I draw in my body as close to his as I possibly can. His arms encircle me and hold me tightly.

"I love you, Emmett." I tell him as we lay holding each other – I in his arms, and his head and shoulders held tightly in mine with my head nuzzled at the crook of his neck. He runs a hand slowly around the contours of my back while holding me still with the other as I wind my legs tighter and tighter within his. I can't get close enough to him. I squeeze my arms around him until I can squeeze no tighter, and he whispers my name again and again like a prayer. I inhale his scent and beg him softly to never leave me; to never do what Edward did. He tells me, "No – no – no," He loved me all along, and his heart was always mine, even if I didn't realize it. "I am yours; I'd rather be ripped to shreds than be without you." He promises before kissing a slow trail along my neck, and finally touching his lips back to mine.

* * *

I turn the key and kill the engine of my truck, deciding I have sat long enough with the heat blowing to fill the cab. I wipe my hand across my forehead before folding my arms along my lap, taping my fingers rhythmically – and somewhat nervously – as I wait for the shiny and familiar silver Volvo to pull up and park beside me. I don't usually park here, but after Emmett explained to me of the conversation he and Edward had, I can't help but feel as if he, Edward, owes it to me to tell me to my face of himself and Rosalie.

Leaving for school early was both difficult and necessary. Difficult because it meant pulling myself away from Emmett that much sooner; necessary because it meant the sooner school was over, the sooner I could be with him again. Being with Emmett made me feel things I had never felt with Edward. He made me feel alive, he made me feel… loved - wanted. I knew it sounded so high school and puppy love, but it was more than that. The feeling of being in his arms was so natural, so amazing. It was like the moment he looked at me and our eyes met and he drew me into him nothing could ever happen to me because I was complete. It was right. It was natural. I could lay awake beside him for hours, not speaking, not kissing… not doing anything but holding each other and breathing. When I looked into his eyes it was like falling into a whole nother world that was just us, even if we were surrounded by a thousand other people, all I would be able to see or hear or feel would be him. I could just close my eyes, feel his arms around me and his legs knotted within mine and his lips gently kissing my neck, jaw line, cheeks, lips, forehead… hands… He made everything right, he made everything perfect. His voice alone could send me falling deeper and deeper into the love that I had fallen so hard with him without even realizing it. When I looked into his eyes it was like I had looked into them a thousand times…

A single knock sounds on my window and I jump - being pulled from my thoughts and back into real time. I gather myself and turn my head to see Edward looking in at me with sorrow in his eyes, and the backs of Alice and Jasper walking hand-in-hand towards the school together. I swallow a small lump in my throat before reaching across the seat to gather up my backpack and lunch, and quickly unzip my bag to drop in the brown paper bag. I inhaled a deep, slow breath and let it out quickly while zipping up my bag and shoving my keys into my pocket.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Edward says as I push open my truck door and slide out to the pavement. "But I said your name three times first; I guess you just didn't hear me."

"No," I say as I pull my bag over my shoulder and push shut my door. "It's alright."

He is silent for a moment, pulling his eyes from mine he looks down at the ground and slowly digs his hands into his front pant pockets. Sucking in a breath of air through his nostrils he looks back at me, "I don't really know how to begin." He says slowly.

"Then don't say anything," I tell him. "There isn't anything you could say that I don't already know. If you're worried that you may have hurt me – the only thing that hurt me was the way I had to find out. Other that that… I'm actually happy it happened. If it didn't then I would have never realized how much I care about – _love_ – Emmett. And you would have always had to keep your and Rosalie's feelings for each other a secret. So whatever you do don't say you're sorry – because I'm not." I tell him honestly. "And I know you're not either. So," I add as I look down at the ground, and then quickly back up at his face. "Let's just start over; pretend we were never even together. It was you and Rosalie who have been, and shortly after I moved here I met and fell in love with Emmett Cullen, and have been with him ever since."

"Well I guess that beats reality, especially since Rosalie and Emmett have been divorced since 1956." He reveals, and I look up at him curiously. "Don't get me wrong, they were still together, but it was Rosalie's idea. She said it made her feel trapped and old – I know, a hell of a thing for her to say seeing how the time period she came from girl's were often married before their twentieth birthday – but Emmett agreed to it without debate, and the rest of us didn't really question it, and just went on like nothing had changed. But, Bella," He adds, tilting my chin with his finger so my eyes meet with his. "I don't want you to think that I never loved you – I did – it's just that I could see you didn't really love me as much as I had thought. Especially the way you and Emmett would look at each other… Let's just say there was more than one reason Rosalie _disliked _you. When she was human she was used to getting the attention of every man, and once she turned I didn't want to have a thing to do with her. Then Emmett came along, and contrary to popular belief it even took some convincing for him to even stand her at first.

"There marriage was more for show, I mean don't get me wrong, they did care for each other, but not nearly as much as Alice and Jasper, and Carlisle and Esme. It was really always me she wanted, and Emmett just happened to be being mauled by a bear when she was off sulking in the woods, pouting and having a little tantrum that I didn't want her. I think Emmett must have known that, because when they were together Rosalie only really seemed to even be interested in him to make me jealous. And it didn't at first; I went on resenting her as much as ever for the next few decades.

"Then, just as soon as I thought she would give up and turn devoted and loyal to Emmett, you came along, and both Emmett and myself fell for you – you fell for Emmett, thinking you'd fallen for me – I was torn, confused. I was torn because I didn't know if I should really put myself through the torture of staying with someone I loved so much, but didn't love me back. And confused because of the way Rosalie would still look at me, and how I realized I began looking back at her in the same way – how Emmett would look at you, and not at Rosalie, and how Rosalie would look at me but not at Emmett – well, nothing really new there – how you would look at Emmett and not at me, and how Emmett never really looked at Rosalie.

"I was so torn because I didn't want to be unfaithful to you, but I could help but notice how Rosalie and I began to look at one another with the longing that Alice and Jasper shared, and Carlisle and Esme – you and Emmett. It was so clear that it was love all of you saw for each other, but the only difference was that you and Emmett held back – or more, Emmett – you still hadn't realized your feelings for him yet. But it made me really open my eyes to how much hatred I had had for Rosalie, and thinking about it I realized that somewhere along the line… I loved her. I hated that I loved her, and it just made it that much harder to accept.

"Then one night; early morning, after I came back from staying with you while you slept, I got home and Rosalie was the only one there – everybody else was out hunting – she was sitting on the couch reading one of her magazines. A strand of hair had fallen over her eyes, but she was so into what she was reading she hadn't noticed, and I brushed it away. The next thing I knew she was in my arms.

"We were in her and Emmett's bedroom when the rest of the family started arriving back, first, Emmett. He walked in on us, quietly. I heard him of course because of his thoughts, but I just pretended to not notice, and ignored him to not give Rosalie anything to worry about.

"And then it happened again… and again… and again. Until finally you saw us.

"I wish you could have found out in another way – I wish I had just been honest and told you about it the first time it happened, but I didn't."

"Because you were a coward," I finish for him, quoting Emmett with a small smile over my lips. "It's okay Edward; I forgive you, and Rosalie. At least we can all be happy now, be with the people we truly love, rather than lie, sneak and pretend otherwise."

He smiles, and I kick off my feet and head to class.


	4. Thinking

**Always You  
**_continued…_

**Emmett**

I lay with my back against the headboard - waiting patiently for Bella to come home from school - with my arms clutching her pillow to my chest. I close my eyes and think to myself how amazingly happy I am, how nothing could make my life anymore perfect than it is at this moment. I finally have someone who will love and care for me as much as I will for her, and not just use me for the pleasure of attempting to drive another person jealous – pass the time with. I look into her eyes and all I can see is my own feelings reflected back at me.

I had wanted to be with her for so long - it hurt every time Edward brought her over to the house, talked about her… He didn't even care about her! He knew I loved her, and yet he insisted on tormenting me with the prospect of them always being together. But I guess he could have been doing that to fend off Rosalie, too – but that still doesn't change the fact that he knew how I felt. He can pretend all he wants, but he knows I have loved Bella just as long as he has – did.

Bella would always talk to him about turning her, and he would always say no – I don't want to condemn your soul to hell – and that would be that. She would beg him, plead with him to understand. Jasper had Alice, Carlisle had Esme, and Rosalie had me – even if she didn't want me. They – we - would all be together forever, and Bella would eventually, in a few decades, just die. Didn't Edward want her forever? Didn't he want to spend the rest of eternity with her, as she did him? Yes, of course he did – not. The one he really loved was already a vampire – already a product of no expiration date – a product of forever and eternity. Bella was just a silly little girl who didn't understand anything, all Edward wanted to do was love her and live with her until she passed away. But then what? Move onto another innocent young girl in another century and do the same thing all over again?

What Bella was asking, what Edward always refused to do for her, was not stupid: if you love someone, and that someone happens to be an immortal vampire who will never age, die or get sick… the answer of how to spend forever with them seems to be pretty clear. Change them, show them you love them as much as they love you in the biggest, most intimate way you possibly can – promise them forever. Promise them an eternity of love…

I open my eyes and realize what I am thinking – this is not about Edward and Bella, I realize – this is about myself and Bella. I love her, and I want to spend forever with her – forever and always… But am I really capable of doing that to her? Allowing her to sit by and watch as all of her friends, family and loved ones age and die? Would I really be that selfish as to rip her from the world she knows just so I can be with her? Just so I don't have to watch as that happens to her? Suddenly I am more understanding of Edward's reasoning, but at the same time, against it. I mean after all, that scenario happened to all of us; the only difference was that we were dying – with the exception of Carlisle, of course.

I close my eyes and try and imagine a life of what would be if I didn't change Bella, and I sat by and just watched her as she got older and older – elderly, sick, injured… I wouldn't be able to do a thing for her but tell her I love her and we'll always be together – I would sit by, stand around telling her all of this was how it was supposed to be. Then I would look in the mirror and see myself, young, dashing, unyieldingly changing. She would be old and gray, yet still so much younger than me… Could I really live with that? Could I live with loosing the one person – the only person – who I have ever truly loved? And has ever truly loved me?

No, I decide without a moment's deliberation, I couldn't – I can't. Thinking of a life without her… it hurts so bad it feels like I am being torn apart from the inside out, slowly. Never being able to hold her again, kiss her, talk to her and tell her how much she means to me, how I will always protect her and love her – hear the sound of her voice as she whispers my name. Feel her hands in mine, her body pressed against mine as we hold each other in the gentle moonlight, looking into each others eyes… I can't live without her – I don't want to ever have to find out what it would be like to be without her. She makes everything perfect; she makes everything shine so much brighter, everything that is beautiful is in her eyes.

How could have Edward ever let someone as amazing as her go? How could he have ever let her just die – becoming nothing when she has so much to give?

I don't know how, I don't know when, but I have to tell her all of this. I have to tell her that there is no world without her – I want her forever, and I never want to just leave her behind and try to find anyone else, because there is no one else. There is only her. And if I let her go – even by dying human – I would never be able to forgive myself, never be able to go back and change things. I wouldn't be able to change my mind, either, because while I would still be this – forever, she would be gone. I would spend the rest of forever hating myself and regretting letting her go – and for a vampire, forever is a long time.

I open my eyes to the sound of her truck making its way up the gravel drive and slide myself to the foot of her bed and plop my feet onto the ground, disregarding her pillow against the headboard knowing that I won't have to just pretend I am holding her in a few more seconds. My ears are faithfully focused on her every move, every sound, as she pulls her truck into the driveway and kills the engine. Her footsteps close the distance between the house, the front door is pulled open and then locked shut, followed by the sound of her kicking off her shoes. She lets out a sigh and a gentle yawn as she trudges her way up the stairs, her hand gliding along the railing as the other runs through her hair…

I keep my position on her bed as the handle to her door twists open and she steps inside, dropping her backpack onto the floor beside her closet. She doesn't see me at first. She does a double take, and when our eyes meet the second time a big smile spreads across her face and she is running towards me, flinging her arms around my shoulders as I pull her into me and cover her face with kisses.

"I didn't know you'd be here," she says with closed eyes, her hands tangled in my hair, as I trail my lips along her jaw line and neck.

"I'm sorry," I say between kisses, "should I leave and come back later after I've called you so you're expecting me?"

"No," she says quickly as she tightens her arms around me. "I just wasn't expecting you to stay here all day – I thought you'd get bored all by yourself."

"You were only gone a few hours," I tell her. "And for a vampire who doesn't sleep, well, let's just say a year to me is like a month to you. It feels like you only just left."

"I guess I'd never really thought about that," she admits. "To me being away from you for any amount of time feels like eternity."

I run my hand up her back and grace my fingers into the base of her hairline. "You really love me, don't you, Miss Swan?"

"Only as much as you love me, Mr. Cullen," she whispers back as she leans her lips into mine. "So I guess you could say that's a lot, or a little, I'm not really too sure as of yet," I know she is teasing, but after all of my thoughts that passed me today while she was at school… Well, so much for subtleties.

"I love you more than I have ever loved anyone, Bella," I tell her as I cup her face in my hands. "And I know you love me – you don't even have to vocalize it with the way you look at me… Bella," I tell her as I run my thumb over her lips, and lean into kiss her. "I want you forever."

"Huh," she breathes softly. "I guess you could say that's a lot," her voice is so quiet I know that I wouldn't be able to hear it if I weren't a vampire.

"I mean it Bella," I tell her as she places her hands onto my chest. "I was thinking about you – us – it – while you were at school… I seriously can't live without you now that I have you. I can't just stand around like Edward had planned to and just watch you age and get sick and fade away into death… I wouldn't be able to live knowing I let the one woman I have ever loved die and become nothing."

"Are you screwing with me right now?" she asks after a moment. "Emmett, please don't do this to me, don't-"

"I love you," I say as I place my hand gently over her mouth. "Is it so hard to believe that I want to spend forever with you?"

"You really do love me?" she says, more to herself than me.

"Since the first time I saw you," I assure her. "The first time we spoke I knew I was a goner – I'm yours, Bella, nothing's ever gonna change that."

She smiles.


End file.
